Chapter 34: A Magnificent Journey Is About to Begin
A voice bellowed like thunder in the ears of the man from the Liao clan. He hadn't sensed the arrival of this pair at all.
" I didn't expect you to come to us on your own, you runt!" The man said, his eyes filled with excitement.
He retrieved a talisman and channeled spiritual energy into it and a faint light appeared. He shouted, "Rooting Spe-"
**_Swish!_**
Chen Xun moved, and a strong wind suddenly rose, bending blades of grass at his feet.
As he moved ahead, his cultivation skyrocketed.
Fifth stage of Qi Refining.
Sixth stage of Qi Refining.
...
_Level 10 of Qi Refining!_
Sensing his aura, all members of the Liao clan were horrified. Their scalps tingled, and their eyes were flung wide.
In an instant, Chen Xun arrived in front of the man.
The man hastily tried to dodge.
"Too slow." Chen Xun said before lifting the man into the air with one hand, causing him to tremble all over. He lost his grip on the talisman and it fell to the ground.
"Moo!"
The big black ox roared in anger, and flames erupted around it.
Firelight filled the sky, and walls of flames surrounded all the members of the Liao clan.
The air bubbled with heat and the flames were accompanied by violent waves of magical power that were filled with ferocity.
"What... What's going on?!"
"Foundation... A Foundation Establishment senior?"
"We're finished."
The other members of the Liao clan were paralyzed, and their hair stood on end, sweat dripping from their bodies. Their mouths trembled, and their eyes were filled with the sight of raging flames, and they felt their skins tingling from the scorching heat.
The middle-aged man with the round face had been in a daze the whole time. He watched as Chen Xun approached him and subconsciously controlled his flying sword to attack him.
**_Crack, crack._**
The flying sword was crushed by Chen Xun. The man felt his heart crack with his sword, and his legs went weak. Stammering, he said, "Senior, it was our mistake..."
"Was my half-filled bag of seeds a mistake as well?!"
"It's all here! Really!"
The man took out several bags of seedlings from his storage pouch in a fluster and handed them all to Chen Xun.
Chen Xun only took his rightful half a bag of spiritual seedlings.
When the man felt that he had escaped danger, he caught Chen Xun's eyes turning cold.
"However, I'll never spare those who harbor ill intentions toward us." He said.
"You?!!!"
"Senior!!!"
"Don't!!!"
...
From within the walls of fire, there came horrifying screams. Chen Xun and the big black ox, headed toward the Nine Stars Valley with stern expressions. They had heard that the Liao clan had been watching them for several years.
The next day.
The sun shone brightly on the valley.
A faint light emitted from the disciple's token in Chen Xun's hand and he infused it with spiritual energy before looking in a certain direction. "Old Ox, let's go!"
"Moo, moo!" The big black ox responded.
In a clearing within the valley, a flying ship stood with about a dozen people gathered around it. Some of them were dressed uniformly, and they all respectfully looked at a man who stood as straight as an arrow.
This man was one of the Outer Elders of the sect with a cultivation level in the early Foundation Establishment stage, Elder Ao.
"Elder Ao, there are still a few people on their way," said Yin Jun respectfully.
"It doesn't matter, the disciples this year are quite impressive," Ao replied, stroking his beard. "I heard there are several young cultivators with extraordinary potential."
"Oh? There's one who is twenty years old and has already reached the seventh level of Qi Refinement. He single-handedly defeated ten puppet beasts from the Purple Cloud Sect," Yin Jun said with amazement. "He even has a second-level Qi Refinement level spirit beast with him. His spiritual roots are mixed."
"Oh? To think that there is such a person. We couldn't have roped this person in even if we wanted if the other sects didn't back down" Ao nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
Such a person would definitely be a force to be reckoned with in the South Dipper Mountain's secret realm. He had been lucky to have Yin Jun spot him.
At that moment, Chen Xun and the big black ox had arrived, looking disheveled. The sound of their pots and pans clanging filled the area as they walked.
"Fellow cultivator Chen, let me introduce you." Yin Jun approached and smiled. "This is Elder Ao, one of the sect's Outer Elders."
He then turned to Ao and said, "Elder Ao, this is the person I mentioned earlier."
"Nice to meet you, Elder Ao. I arrived a bit late. I apologize for any inconvenience," Chen Xun bowed and lowered his head, quickly removing his hood to reveal a handsome face, appearing harmless.
"Don't mention it. Don't mention it." Ao looked at Chen Xun and the big black ox, smiling slightly. He appreciated younger cultivators who showed respect. "Please go to the back."
"Yes." Chen Xun quickly led the big black ox to join the group of cultivators and began to greet them with smiles.
After half an hour, everyone had gathered. They all stood in front of the flying ship, and Chen Xun and the big black ox were excited, their hearts pounding.
The flying ship was massive, tens of yards long, without masts or sails. It was made entirely of wood-like structures and could easily accommodate hundreds of people. While not on par with the top ten major sects, it was still impressive.
"Let's go."
Ao stepped onto the flying ship and with a wave of his hand and a burst of spiritual energy, the ship emitted a muffled sound.
Yin Jun led the cultivators to board the ship, and Chen Xun took the opportunity to take a closer look at the vessel. This is definitely not ordinary wood.
"This flying ship is huge!" Chen Xun couldn't help but exclaim as he inspected the vessel up close. "Old ox, give us a little bounce."
"Moo, moo!" The big black ox actually hopped twice.
No sound at all! It was solid!
The other cultivators were also continually amazed, their eyes filled with excitement, much like Chen Xun.
**_Buzz..._**
Another loud sound rang out, and the flying ship slowly took flight. Chen Xun and the others wobbled but quickly clung to the edge of the ship, looking down at the ground.
"Old Ox, we're taking off!"
"Moo, moo!"
Strong gusts of cold wind blew, causing Chen Xun and the big black ox's lips to tremble.
They peered down and saw the Nine Star Valley from above, giving them a clearer picture of its landscape.
Ao sat cross-legged and arranged flags around him. With a wave of his hands, an invisible barrier enveloped the entire flying ship, keeping the wind out.
"Awesome!"
Chen Xun looked at the protective barrier and swallowed hard. He held the big black ox tightly with one hand.
"Moo."
The big black ox was starting to feel a little anxious. It seemed to have developed a fear of heights and quickly buried its head in Chen Xun's arms.
The entire Nine Stars Valley unfolded before their eyes, and Chen Xun was stunned to see how vast it was. There were various exotic flowers and plants growing all over the place.
As the figures on the ground grew smaller and smaller, Chen Xun couldn't help but become emotional. They were finally leaving the valley.
"Look, old ox, Panning City! It's so huge!" Chen Xun pointed in a direction and yelled. The outline of a giant city appeared before their eyes. They could even see countless people moving around inside. It was their first time seeing it from such a high point.
"Moo? Moo, moo!"
The big black ox seemed to be searching for something, looking around.
The flying ship soared through the clouds and passed by massive mountain ranges.
"Old Sun's peak!" The pair found what they were looking for.
"Moo!"
The big black ox was also excited. Even though there were some clouds and mist, it could still see it.
Chen Xun didn't know why his eyes were welling up with tears. Maybe it was because the wind was too strong, or maybe he got some sand in his eyes. But he saw his master and mistress's resting place.
"We're leaving..."
Everything on the ground grew smaller and blurrier. The flying ship was incredibly fast. Panning City gradually disappeared, and so did the Ningyun Mountain Range. They could no longer be seen.
Chen Xun and the big black ox continued to look in that direction, the direction of the place that held so many cherished memories for them.
**_Buzz..._**
The flying ship soared through the sky, splitting the clouds.Their thoughts had already been cast far away.
Farewell to the small village....
Farewell to Panning City....
Farewell to the Ningyun Mountain Range....
The vastness of the world unfolded before them, countless birds soared through the sky, set against the backdrop of the blue sky and white clouds. The flying ship, along with Chen Xun and the big black ox, flew together but gradually fell behind.
Chen Xun and the big black ox had moved away from the edge of the flying ship, their gazes firm.
The winding and towering mountain ranges grew further and further away, and the flying ship adjusted its direction several times, setting out in a straight line towards Zhongyang Province.
_A magnificent journey was about to begin..._
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